Power Rangers Geode Force
by V0ice 0ver
Summary: When an ancient Demi-god is resurrected in Gemstone City, it falls to six friends to defend the Earth with the help of the Mystic Geodes. Tobias, Alicia, Michelle, Corey, Jon and William become the Power Rangers Geode Force. On their adventure they will discover secrets about their pasts and the keys to their ultimate destiny. Rated M for future violence language and adult content.


Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Power Rangers or anything associated with their rightful creators, Saban. I do however lay claim to the OC's in this story. Also I know NOTHING about the ancient Aztec culture or any cultures that came before them. The Terrins are a purely fictional civilization and any similarities to other cultures are unintended. Enjoy!

POWER RANGERS GEODE FORCE

Episode One: _Discovery Part One_

_Gemstone City High School: Gemstone City, CA_

"Look out," came a warning from across the crowded gymnasium. Tobias Jefferson noted the voice as he ducked his head sideways to avoid the meaty fist flying towards him. He distinctly heard the sound of cartilage being crushed against reinforced brick, but if his assailant felt any pain he wasn't showing it. Tobias ducked again, and then a third time, easily faster than his lumbering, muscle-bound foe.

"Better fix that speed," Tobias jibed, even though he knew it was a mistake, "or Coach may throw you off the team." The angry jock glared at Tobias, trying to stare daggers through the teenager's glasses. At this point, Tobias would have loved to glare back, but experience had taught him that he was not as intimidating as he perceived himself to be. He should have been, standing over six feet at age seventeen and bearing a big, but not fat, build hidden beneath a black t-shirt and an oversized red cover shirt. The problem lay in his face. Tobias was handsome, cursed with a manly build and a boyish face that could charm the pants off any woman he wished. It just wasn't too good for giving a warning stare to an oversized, over-muscled jock.

Meaty-fist took another swing. Tobias ducked again, and heard a THUNK as the fist connected with something soft, yet firm. The jock stopped fighting and took a step back.

Tobias rose to his full height and stepped quickly away, eager to leave the confrontation behind. Another young man had stepped to his side. He wore a goatee around his lips and his hair was pulled into a ponytail. He was shorter than Tobias, but just as stocky. His muscled frame was highlighted by the tightness of his white v-neck shirt.

"You have a problem with my friend?" Will DeGray asked, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow. The blow to the gut had not moved him an inch.

"He's got a big mouth," Meat Fist said hesitantly.

"Really?" Will shot an exaggerated look at Tobias who grinned charmingly. "And what exactly do you think he said?"

Meat Fist stared at Will.

"I smell smoke," Will said with a grin. "Don't overwork that tiny brain of yours." The jock clenched his fists again, but Will simply took a defensive stance. "Whenever you're ready, big guy."

The bell rang, signaling the start of first period. Will did not move. The jock looked for a moment as though he wanted to start the fight again, then thought better of it.

"We're gonna finish this later," he promised.

"I'll be waiting," Will agreed. The jock turned away and went to catch up with his teammates. Will stooped down and picked up his backpack, then hurried to catch up to his friend's longer stride.

"Thanks for that," Tobias muttered as they made their way down the hall toward Archaeological History.

"No problem," Will said. "You wanna tell me what I'm kicking Paulo's ass for?"

"You concerned?" Tobias asked with a grin.

"No, I just like to have a good reason for kicking the star quarterback across the school grounds in the middle of our best season ever."

"He made a crack about Alicia," Tobias replied. Anger flooded his features making him look dangerous. "Best whore he ever had."

Will rolled his eyes. Of course. Paulo had dated Tobias's girlfriend a year before, and he hadn't been nice. Tobias had watched from afar, pined for Alicia, and watched as Paulo had cheated on and abused her. It had taken a long time for Tobias to show Alicia what real love was like.

Will clapped a hand on Tobias's back. "You've got to stop letting him goad you."

"It's Alicia!" Tobias said defensively.

"Tobias, when I agreed to teach you martial arts, you told me you would learn to control your temper." Will fixed a serious gaze on his best friend.

"What would you do if it was Michelle?" Will's stare withered. Michelle was _his _girlfriend and Tobias's sister. He had to admit that no one would get away with slandering her. On the other hand, no one who knew Will's reputation would dare insult anyone close to him. A lesson that Paulo was going to learn come three o'clock. In any case there would be little discussion on the matter after school, and there was little to be done right at the moment. The sound of a second bell pealed off the walls of the school and the boys hurried on down the hall.

_Under Silver City… 2 Days Earlier…_

Dark shadows danced behind the glow of halogen lights that were strung up haphazardly down the tunnels. A group of archaeologists worked fiercely with picks, shovels and tiny brushes, their efforts concentrated on one very large, very ancient-looking slab of rock. It was about the size of a full grown man with smooth rounded edges. It was as though the very rock had grown a shell or a casing around a coffin. The excavation team had been working for nearly a week, utilizing all the heaviest and most up-to-date equipment in order to crack the shell. They had made it this far, and now it came down to hand tools and patience.

"It looks for all the world like a sarcophagus," muttered Dr. Nathaniel Brown, second in command of the expedition and only local of Gemstone City allowed to view the dig. He removed his brown fedora and wiped the sweat from his brow with an exaggerated gesture of his arm. Truth be told, he was more of a researcher than a field archaeologist, even if he insisted upon dressing the part. Clad in a brown leather jacket and khaki pants, he could have easily passed for Harrison Ford in a famous adventure flick. All he needed was a gun, a bullwhip, and the physical aptitude to use them. Unfortunately for Nathaniel, he lacked all three of those qualities.

"One side there, Doctor," came the voice of Professor Roger Sten, leader of the dig and resident know-it-all. The older man was brandishing a shovel, metal side first, and not stopping for anyone or anything. Dr. Brown dodged in a very Indiana Jones-like maneuver and narrowly missed having his rather knowledgeable head removed.

"Easy," he replied, reigning in his frustration as the balding British professor scooped up a mound full of ancient rock and threw it back over his shoulder. "You're going to kill someone!"

Roger rose to his full height, dropping the shovel and fixing a haughty glare on his second-in-command. "Forgive me, _Doctor_," he said, emphasizing the last word as though it were an insult. To him, it was. Professor outranked Doctor any day. "But some of us came prepared to get our hands dirty." He reached out a hand and an intern appeared with a pick. He handed it to the professor who turned away and continued to hack away at the edge of the sarcophagus or whatever it was.

Dr. Brown sighed heavily. This all seemed so unfair. It was his research that had provided the location of the hidden chamber. His research that had uncovered the legendary Gems of Gemstone City in the first place. Now this British man, twenty years Nathaniel's senior and veteran of the archeological society, was going to unearth the Gems and claim the discovery for his own.

_And I'm not strong enough to stand up to him,_ Dr. Brown thought. He allowed himself to lean against the rocky wall behind him.

"We've broken through!" cried a young woman. She stood up and pumped her fist excitedly. From his position, Nathaniel craned his neck to see. It was true. The shell had a large surface crack running down its center from head to feet. He stood up and hurried over to the mound of rock, digging into the pockets of his jacket as he jogged. When he reached the spot where the crack started, he knelt and pulled out a scrap of parchment. On it was drawn the diagram of a human skeleton. Its arms and legs were crossed as though it were at rest. At the head was an array of gems in a rainbow of colors.

Nathaniel suppressed a boyish grin. From within the recesses of the shell he could see the faint glimmer of a red jewel.

"I was right," he said to himself. "Lord Almighty, but I was right! The resting place of Orlax- oof!" Dr. Brown was violently shoved aside as Professor Sten moved in, pickaxe raised high.

"I've done it!" the British man exclaimed. "I've found the tomb of Orlax! I'll be famous! Quickly everyone, pierce and remove the shell!"

The workers descended upon the site with unbridled excitement. Dr. Brown found himself shoved aside and forced to the sidelines. He stood there, a timid man dressed like an action hero, a spectator for the discovery that was rightfully his. All because of the swollen head of the most arrogant son of a bitch he had ever met.

_Take it back,_ came a voice. Nathaniel whirled around to see who had spoken to him, to find the source of the gravelly voice. No one was around. They were all enthusiastically hacking away at the site, hungry for glory and fame.

_Take it back_, the voice continued. Without really realizing what he was doing, Dr. Brown knelt and picked up a stray shovel that had been scattered during the dive for the shell. The other archaeologists were too engrossed in the find, too frenzied to notice the man holding the shovel. As a result, the youngest of the students failed to see the end of the shovel fly at his head. There was a hollow THUNK and the student fell to the earth, his murder unnoticed in the frenzy,

_Gemstone City_

Tobias and Will sat at their desks, tucked in the back corner of the classroom. All around them the other students took advantage of the vacant lectern at the front of the room, talking, texting, joking and making noise in general. Tobias tapped his pencil on the desk impatiently, the constant noise irritating him as it normally did. Will sat calmly, leafing through his textbook.

"Meditate," he said to his friend as if he could read his thoughts.

"Be serious," Tobias shot back.

"I am. You want to control your temper? Start here. Everything is- "

"A challenge, I remember," Tobias let his long body sag down in the seat. "Tell me, bro, do you ever really relax?"

"Not while I'm breathing," Will replied, not looking up.

Tobias rolled his eyes. He knew his best friend had a rough past. Will had been in martial arts since the age of five at the insistence of the nuns at the convent where Will had been raised. Even as a little boy, his own rage and injured feelings made themselves evident in destructive ways. Will had benefited beyond measure from his lessons, parlaying his hatred for the parents he had never known into compassion for the many possible reasons that they would have had for leaving him in his situation.

Will and Tobias jumped, startled by the sound of the classroom door slamming shut. Their teacher walked in slowly, as if dazed. He shuffled to the chalkboard, the class growing silent as they stared at his disheveled hair and worn clothing. He began to draw, making long lines on the board in the rough sketch of a skeleton.

"Rough weekend, Doc?" Tobias asked after a pause.

"Actually, Mr. Jefferson," Dr. Brown replied, turning from his work, "it was the best of my life." He gave a grin that was anything but jovial then returned to his chalkboard. Tobias and Will exchanged uneasy glances.

"Doc," Will asked slowly, "when was the last time you slept?"

"No time for sleep," Dr. Brown muttered, though it was uncertain as to whether or not he was actually speaking to Will. "No time for sleep no time for food only time for Orlax…"

"Who?" asked a girl in the back row.

"Orlax!" Dr. Brown suddenly shouted, turning to face the class and gesturing widely at the figures he had drawn. There were gasps from around the room. On the board Dr. Brown had drawn a skeletal figure at rest with six pentagonal shapes at its head. Around the body were strange symbols that none of the students recognized.

"I'm guessing that's Orlax?" Tobias asked, pointing at the skeletal figure.

"Right you are, Mr. Jefferson," Dr. Brown smiled genuinely as if his earlier manic mood had never occurred. "And over the weekend I led the team that excavated this very skeleton from beneath Orion Park."

What followed in the next hour was an extensive lesson about Orlax and special gemstones.

"Lord Orlax," Dr. Brown said enthusiastically, "was a god made by man. The ancient Aztecs were purported to hold the last known record of his existence on this planet." He paused and looked around expecting everyone to take notes. No one moved. "You see," and here he spread his arms wide as if to take them all into his embrace, "you are transfixed. No matter, I will be repeating this information as many times as you would like."

Will raised a hand, feeling silly in light of the doctor's attitude. "When you say he was created by man… well isn't that impossible sir?"

"Ah, well it comes as no surprise, what with your, um… religious upbringing that _you_, Mr. DeGray, would question that a deity can be made by mortals." The answer was given with such disdain and condescension that Will had to remind himself that this man was supposed to be a teacher.

"It was a fair question," Tobias muttered.

Dr. Brown ignored him and moved on. "Before I move on to the gems I should make one very important clarification. The Aztecs did _not_ create Orlax. He was created by a much more ancient society, the Terrins."

"Sir," a young lady raised her hand, "if they were a civilization older than the Aztecs why would we not have studied them?"

"Well, Ms. Bartowski, the reason behind that is explained by the history of Orlax himself. You see, the Terrins were a society much like the early Aztecs and it is believed that many of the Aztec rituals came from the teachings of the Terrin people. None were so prevalent as the ritualistic sacrifices made to their heathen gods.

"The Terrins were a polytheistic culture, believing that there was a god or goddess responsible for each aspect of human life. To them the gods were divine, yet exhibited a fascination with human life as well as human frailties and failings."

"Like the Greeks or the Romans," chimed in a male student in the first row.

"Indeed, now please let me finish. The Terrins enjoyed a bountiful and peaceful existence for thousands of years. They planted, reaped and sewed without heed to what damage they did to the planet. They raised livestock of all types and let them live together in all combinations, both healthy and unnatural. They came to take for granted the earth that sustained them. As such the Terrins abruptly encountered a long era of famine and despair. They believed that they had somehow angered their gods. They looked to their Chief Mystic- the only man aside from their king who could speak directly with the gods- for guidance. He claimed that the gods were indeed angry with the Terrins who they believed had grown lazy and spoiled by their untroubled existence. Their Mystic decreed that all of the firstborn children were to be presented to the temple of the gods and judged according to their souls. Those who were worthy would be chosen as sacrifice to the gods. Those who were not would be cast out of society to die.

"There was one man who opposed this: the king himself. He professed to have been told something else entirely. And though the laws of man gave the king dominion over the Mystic, the Terrin people were desperate for the gods' favor. The Terrins deposed their king and replaced him with the Chief Mystic. The children were judged, and found to be exactly half favorable, half unfavorable. Those found to be favorable with the gods were prepared for sacrifice while the others were exiled along with the former royal family. Before I end the lecture I will open up the floor to questions."

One hand shot up amid the stunned and concerned students. "Dr. Brown?"

"Yes, Ms. Bartowski?"

"Well sir, I still don't see how my question was answered."

"It's quite simple, my dear. You remember that the king was told something different by the gods. He claimed that while the gods had indeed asked for sacrifice, they had not asked for the flesh and bone of their children. The king staunchly believed that the gods desired the Terrins to abandon the earth that they had abused and move to another home; they should move to a place so vast and unconquerable that the Terrins would never be able to befoul it with their practices: the sea. The royal family and the exiled children are said to have become the first Atlanteans."

Stifled chuckles spread around the classroom. They believed none of this, but dragging Atlantis into things was like pulling aliens into a movie franchise to make it more interesting.

"That, Ms. Bartowski is why we have never heard of the Terrins. No serious scientific journal would publish anything at all about Atlantis. The reality is that the king and all of his exiled charges died out without the favor of the gods."

Tobias and Will exchanged brief looks. _The reality? _ Did Dr. Brown really believe this culture existed?

"We are nearly out of time and I have not gotten to the important part," Dr. Brown said, checking his watch and shaking his head. His speech became faster and more furtive, and he no longer stopped to answer questions.

"Rid of their dissent and the unholy children of their society, the remaining Terrins carried out the sacrifice. The blood was drained from their children's bodies and funneled into a sacred pool at the foot of the temple. The Chief Mystic, now king of the Terrins, stepped down into the pool and bathed in the blood. He submerged himself and called upon the favor of the Terrin gods, offering himself as mediator between the frail human Terrins and the divine. He drank, he inhaled, he willingly drowned himself, emerging from the pool as a god among men. He would rule over the Terrins until…"

The bell rang, signaling an end to first period. "Tomorrow we will pick up with the story of the gems and the unfortunate end of the Mystic's rule," Dr. Brown said.

Will and Tobias hurried to gather their things, glad that the bizarre lesson had ended. However, one student could not resist asking a question to which all the students had already figured out the answer. "What was the name of the mystic?"

Dr. Brown's reply was full of disturbing wonder and reverence. "It was Lord Ignus Arcanus Orlax, of course."

_Beneath Orion Park…_

Lord Ignus Arcanus Orlax stood in his newly created chambers, despairing at the remarkable weakness that still weighed upon him.

"Those damnable Gems," he muttered in his rough baritone, "have caused me no end of trouble." Although Orlax had hewn this chamber from ancient rock in a matter of moments, had raised a small magma pool to provide heat and illumination, and even begun the task of reforming his dark army; it had strained his body far more than he thought was possible. His god-like power had been severely diminished. The earth and all of its elements had once bowed to his whim, but now it was work to simply move stone and fire with his mind. He turned to the rows of what appeared to be stalagmites hanging from the ceiling.

"Nonetheless," he said to the darkness, his black eyes and wicked grin reflecting the orange glow of the magma pool, "I am a god among men and I will return to my former glory." As if in response, several of the man sized mounds of rock began to shudder and one dropped from the ceiling. It crashed to the ground, revealing a humanoid creature with gray-green scales, claws and a lizard-like head and tail. Its navy blue tongue darted in and out of its mouth, tasting the warm stagnant air of the chamber. Its red eyes glowed with dark power.

"Reptoid," Orlax muttered. It had been several millennia since he had made a batch of these footsoldiers but he knew by sight that he had it right. The reptoid turned and seemed to regard its master, his blood-red robes that hid a muscled deep-brown frame all topped with a smooth head of long black hair. Orlax bore the appearance of a human, but the monster knew by instinct that this being was far more powerful than its prey. The reptoid let out a guttural hiss as several of its brothers and sisters began to fall and hatch.

"Go," he signaled the firstborn with a wave of his hand, "find the Gems and bring them to me."

Orlax's laugh echoed down the chamber, backed up by a cacophony of hisses and growls.

_Gemstone City High School Cefeteria…_

"It was really weird," Tobias said before stuffing the last of his sandwich in his mouth. Corey Langston looked away quickly and ran a hand over his loosely curled black hair before letting it fall across the stubble on the end of his chin. His blue eyes darted back and forth as he pondered his friends' story.

"I never would have figured Brown for a trip to the looney bin," Corey said. He absently brushed potato chip crumbs from the front of his black GCHS band shirt. "What do you think, Jon?"

"Hmm?" the young man next to him did not look up from his laptop.

Across the table, Will chuckled. "Not paying attention there, buddy?"

"Oh, no, I was," Jon Coolidge said, sticking his head around the side of his screen. The image on the screen was reflected in his glasses and his normally brown hair had a bluish glow to it. "I was just looking up the dig that Dr. Brown told you he was on."

"And?" Tobias prodded.

"And nothing," Jon said. "Interestingly enough, there is no record that the National Archaeological Society ever held a dig in Gemstone City."

"He lied about the dig?" Tobias asked.

"Or he's covering it up," came a voice from behind Tobias. Will spun on his seat and looked up as Michelle sat next to him, letting her heavy pink backpack drop under the table. She pecked him on the cheek as she hurried to unravel her lunch bag and began to unpack a Tupperware full of salad.

"That was going to be my next guess," her brother sighed.

Will had to smile. The group often referred to Michelle and Tobias as "Wonder Twins" because they siblings always had the same thoughts in mind. They finished each other's sentences and often could guess verbatim what the other was thinking. In truth, the two were as far from being identical as possible. Tobias had short, dark blonde hair while his sister sported a curtain of the deepest fiery red locks that flowed down her back. Tobias had a slight tan while Michelle remained pale. Tobias possessed a more patient demeanor, though he was easily agitated. Michelle had a nasty temper burning just under the surface, but one had to really make her angry for her to show it.

Will wrapped an arm around her waist and sighed, "But why would he do that?"

"Either he wanted to keep whatever was found for himself," Michelle offered.

"Or something happened that he doesn't want anyone else to know about," Tobias finished.

"What are you guys talking about?" This time Tobias turned around to smile beatifically at his girlfriend, Alicia Maxwell, who sat down next to him. She was the poster girl for gothic style, her attire and hair all black, save for the streak of yellow in her swooped hair and the yellow leggings beneath her ripped black pants. She kissed Tobias deeply and passionately, causing the others to awkwardly look away.

Corey cleared his throat loudly, "Ahem, Dr. Brown has apparently overdosed on crazy pills."

"Not surprised," Alicia responded, her many bracelets jangling as her wrist hovered over her lunch. "All he ever does is dig up mother Earth for bones that should stay buried where they are."

Tobias grimaced. "Honey, I told you Dr. Brown always ensures environmental safety when he's on a dig."

"That fact that he digs up the earth _at all_ means that he's thrown the environment out the window." Alicia had made her stance about the planet clear about three months ago. Before that, her fad had been of a religious nature. All of the friends were glad to be done with that. Still in all, Alicia had a stick-to-it-iveness that made her a loyal companion and a steadfast friend.

"_Any_way," Jon said, clearing the tension. "Dr. Brown apparently admitted to participating in a dig that was not sanctioned or even known about by the NAS."

"I see," Alicia said, scooting closer to Tobias. As his girlfriend she had already heard more than most about the National Archaeological Society. "I wonder what he was looking for."

And as if triggered by her query, the eastern wall exploded inward and a slew of gigantic lizard-like creatures swarmed into the room.


End file.
